ROLL UP, ROLL UP! Our new record “VIVA! / PUNK IS NOT A SOUND” is officially released TOMORROW! To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with the hibernating The Super Nashwan Kids to offer a special deal – for anyone who orders a PHYSICAL copy of our new album (ie on CD or VINYL) before MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (SUN 23/11/14, UK time!), we’ll throw in a copy of one of their superb records. Yup, at no extra cost. The more observant among you will notice that TSNK included two of my li’l brothers. One of these was Mighty Tose – who we had the privilege of playing with on tour for the last two years as part of “Team Ace”, and who was heavily involved in the writing of the new album (You may also recall that for a period our very own Geoff was filled in on bass guitar for the young ‘uns… those were good days!) some of these memories and rock solid music can be yours if you visit http://djevara.bandcamp.com/ and get your order in on time! It’s finger-clickin’ good…
^Anté

BTW if you already ordered or bought your copy, don’t worry, you can still cash in on this deal : just post a photo of you with you and your “VIVA! / PUNK IS NOT A SOUND” record to this thread and then email or message us an address . This deal is only for CD and VINYL orders remember!

“WORDS AS SWORDS”
(or “HOW CAN YOU HAVE AN ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE OFFICIAL RELEASE?”)

We just got back from playing the launch party for our new album “VIVA!”/”PUNK IS NOT A SOUND”, right here at home in South London, Djevara’s 706th live appearance and probably one of the best shows we’ve ever had in our home city. We played the new album in it’s entirety (“secret” bonus material excepted), with all four of “Team Djev’ 2014″, for what may be the last time ever. We were fund-raising for victims and survivors of the appalling conflicts in Gaza and Syria. It was Malc’s birthday. Most of our closest and most important friends were there to celebrate with us (from all over the world, including as Czech Republic), and the atmosphere was truly incredible. As a band, we really can’t imagine how it could have gone better. To say it was a special night for us would be such a crazy understatement that it feels dishonest. It was the perfect night in which to present our shiny new work – the ideal launch. It’ll now be on sale at all our shows from now on. However, it’s not officially released until November…

A few weeks ago I was having a conversation with Malc. We have many debates and discussions (and, ok, arguments, let’s call spades spades) which often meander accidentally into the no-mans-land between philosophy, pragmatism, hyberbole and actual out-and-out bullshit. At this time, I was complaining about some of the accompanying admin that goes along with something as ostensively exciting as putting out your new album. The subject of my ire? The “review process”. You/your label/your “press people” send out (free!) promo copies to all sorts of places in the hope that the coverage will alert people to presence of your “art”, and even help convince some people to purchase it and get into it. The problem is – I hate the process. “A necessary evil?”, Malc offered. “Hmmm… this exaggerates it – it’s more like a useful unpleasantness”, I responded.

My fundamental nature just finds it most disagreeable that a layer of self-appointed “taste makers” act as gatekeepers and determine what is and is not worth seeing or being listened to, and these evaluations are made on a whim by people who often have little time and almost no motivation for getting an emotional involvement or sympathetic ear to that which they are supposed to “review”. I very much doubt that most reviewers give more than one listen to a record they didn’t get into the first time round (disc #17 while they were washing up, between the aggro pop record from X and the bouncing underground hip-hop of Y on #19). The funny thing is, it’s not even bitterness – we’ve traditionally received quite good reviews of such type, quite despite my obvious disdain (but don’t get me wrong, everyone likes praise and due credit or appreciation, even us British). I even had experience of doing it briefly myself at a student paper in university, and it was a soul-destroying experience that certainly did not make me love music more. The problem is- it works. These press outlets (even D.I.Y. underground ones) have access to audiences and people who may genuinely be interested in what you make or create and yet be destined never find you in any other way. I found so many amazing artists myself through this exact process. I can’t ostracize us, or bite off my hand to feed my face. So, ok, we’ll do the review process. But! We’ll do it our way. My real belief is that all reviews should be done by fans. People who actually care about the art they’re reviewing and have the patience to try and draw out from it what they can, who can engage with it, know and understand where it’s coming from, have seen it grow… and truly appreciate what it is communicating with a sympathetic ear. By conrast – the idea that someone in about 20minutes evaluates and “scores” something you’ve spent the last few years producing is just plain infuriating at times. Contrary to what one may think, the former certainly doesn’t mean that all reviews such reviews would be good (visit any “fan forum” site of any band for evidence), but at least they would be “true” to an extent that their ‘published’ cousins often”anonymous” reviews can never truly be.

So: the decision’s been to ‘launch’ our album to our fans direct effective immediately, and to make it available at all shows in physical form, and to INVITE our fans to review it and send us their reviews. And then (or actually, in parallel) we’ll go through the official “review” process up to our official international online release in November, and we’ll be able to compare and contrast the too. I’m sure it’ll be interesting reading.

So, if you purchase or have purchased a copy of the new album “VIVA!”/”PUNK IS NOT A SOUND”, and if you are so inclined, we herby invite you to send us in a review, and we’ll share our favourites. We’re interested in your honest reaction to what we’ve made. They can be long essays, they can be short statements. Heck, send a picture in if that’s what you feel. Send them in to the usual email address (or reviews@djevara.co.uk). Looking forward to hearing from you…

Anté
x

ps Just gotta say again – genuinely from the bottom of our hearts (on fire), we’d like to thank everyone who came and made our launch so amazingly special. I can’t say how touched we all were sharing this with you and receiving so much energy and positivity back. It was even better than Malcfest. Amazing. Love you all!
xx

To celebrate the imminent recording of our next album, we’re having a one-off 24-hour MAY sale!* Just choose your selection of SALE stuff from the following:

- any CD for £5 (UK)/6€ (EU) each [available: “Third World War”, “Corsa Al Ribasso” and “Hear No Evil”
- vinyl copy of “Hear No Evil” for £10/12€ each
- T-shirts (red “Part Of The Problem”) for £7/8€ each
- Hoodies (black, “Part Of The Problem”) for £20/25€ each

So, just choose what you want, add up the price, and then plug in your order. Don’t forget to also include details in an email to info@genin.co.uk so that we know which CDs, what size T-shirt, etc, etc.
And boom – wait by the postbox for your shiny new goodies!
Here’s the link:https://djevara.bandcamp.com/merch/may-day-sale-merch

IT’S OFFICIAL!!! THE CAMPAIGN WAS SUCCESSFUL! I really can’t believe it – thanks so much everyone who contributed and supported us. You’ll be hearing something from us soon and getting LOTS of bonus stuff Absolutely AMAZING! What a fantastic weekend!!!! Many thanks from Mighty Djevara – Anté, Malc, Geoff & Tosehttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/djevara/djevara-kickstart-new-album
Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to have rather a lot of this bubbly! YOU BEAUUUUUUUUUUUTY!!!

We (Djevara) have started working on a new album. In the DIY spirit, we’re asking our fans for support to make sure it’s our best ever.

Incredibly, in 2014 it’ll have been ten years since we released our debut album “God Is White” (now long sold out). We raised all the funds from our fanbase long before “crowdfunding” became a word everyone recognised, upon a wave of excitement from radio play and tours across the UK while still naive, “wet-behind-the-ears” students. It was a wonderful time, and we’ve been through so much since then and would not have imagined where we are today as artists. It seems a fitting time to try to release our next album, number four, which we’re pretty confident could be our best ever; we’re playing the shows of our lives, more “together” as a band than we have felt since then and writing some of the most exciting music we’ve ever done whilst staying true to the ideals and essences of makes up Djevara.

In order to realize this record properly, we’re asking again for support from our family, friends and fans. This will help us pay for studio and production time, recording, mastering, manufacture, and make sure we make the best possible record for our tenth anniversary release.

In their manifesto, Kickstarter articulate that this kind of crowdsourcing project allows people to enable and become an integral part of the creation of the art they want to see in the world. I think that’s such a beautiful idea; supporters and fans actually willing the art into being from the beginning with their direct support. I just don’t believe that ONLY art that is commercially viable should be able to exist. I don’t want to live in a world like that, and I’m glad that more people are recognizing that you don’t have to be a millionaire to be a patron of the arts.

Thanks so much to all of you who’ve been along for the journey so far; the best is yet to come.

Anté

(Mighty Djevara)

X

IMPORTANT: if you want to support us BUT for whatever reason you don’t want to register on Kickstarter process (preferred) or can’t use one of the available credit cards, you can send a paypal payment/transfer over to us at “info@genin.co.uk” (GENIN RECORDS) and we’ll do it for you as part of a group donation. Remember to include the reward you want! (nb you can not get a “limited” reward using this method)